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Vanessa O’Brien, FRGS

Vanessa O’Brien is a British-American mountaineer, explorer and former business executive. Key highlights:

Awarded Explorer of The Year by The Scientific Exploration Society.

First American and British woman to successfully summit K2, the second tallest peak in the world at 8,611m.

Guinness World Record holder for being the first woman to set a speed record to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on every continent, in 295 days.

First woman to set a speed record to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (Seven Summits plus skiing the last degree to the North and South Poles) in 11 months, and one of only 9 woman to do so in the world.

Summited five of 14 eight thousand meter peaks or peaks over 26,000 feet, including Everest.

Registered speaker with the American Program Bureau to corporates, academics, not-for-profit and the public sector.

Executive MBA from Stern School of Business, New York University and 20+ years of executive experience in global Financial Services.

Featured Videos

Vanessa O’Brien – First British and American Woman to Conquer K2

Vanessa O’Brien, the first British and American woman to conquer K2, tells Voice of America her story. Video credit to The Voice of America.

Why This Road? Sponsored by Vimeo & Charles Schwab

After years of working in finance, Vanessa began to question life, and came to the realization that it needed to change. From consumer accounts for many large banking firms, Vanessa began her new journey as a climber—first novice and now record holder. This film illustrates the pivotal moments that led to Vanessa’s evolution and ability to grasp a different kind of tomorrow.

Breathe: An Explorers Grand Slam Journey

Journey with me to the 7 Summits in 7 minutes. Join me as I become the fastest woman to complete the Explorers Grand Slam and ski the last degree to the North and South poles, in 11 months.

“No-one can take away the knowledge, skills, and experience you acquire throughout your life. Your knowledge, skills, and experience inform your decisions as you move forward. So go ahead – take the biggest step you can“

– Vanessa O’Brien(Banker to Mountaineer)

“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.”

What others say about Vanessa O’Brien

“Vanessa touched hundreds of hearts when she spoke at Women Achievers Congress in Westminster, London in the presence of the British Home Secretary Rt Hon Theresa May and hundreds of high achiever women from various disciplines. The audience loved her analogy of conquering the mountain vis-e-vis scaling the corporate ladder. Her passion and enthusiasm were termed infectious.”

“The focus of my activity was to give women an open and safe environment for physical activity that is not only good for their health but also for their psychological development. Vanessa O’Brien’s presence and the support from the PUAN leadership have been instrumental in making this project a success.”

“Vanessa is a dynamic story teller, putting you right on the mountain with her. She effectively related how key business concepts like teamwork, adaptability and leadership are skills that apply to just about any scenario – even navigating in high altitudes and deep crevasses. She had our group focused and engaged until the very end.”

“Using the metaphor of climbing, Vanessa took us on a tour of some of the most challenging and remote places on the planet. She illustrated how preparation, teamwork, staying focused to avoid risks, and applying a success-oriented mindset differentiate the winners from the losers – not just on the mountain but in business and in life.”

“Vanessa’s recent visit to Cape Henry Collegiate was nothing short of remarkable. Her presence and style engaged students while her story and message inspired them. The time she spent with our community before and after her presentation provided all with an opportunity to ask questions, and learn about the life lessons of risk taking, decision making, and goal setting.”

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About Vanessa O’Brien

Vanessa O’Brien is a British-American mountain climber, explorer, public speaker and former business executive. She became the first American and British woman to successfully summit K2, the second tallest mountain in the world, on July 28, 2017 when she led a team of 12 members to the summit on her third attempt. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Member of The Explorers Club.

She has climbed the highest peak on every continent and has a Guinness World Record for doing so in 295 days, setting a record for the fastest time a woman first achieved this goal. Vanessa has also skied the last 60 nautical miles or 111 km to the South Pole and North Pole completing the Explorers Grand Slam in 11 months, becoming the first woman to do so in under a calendar year and the 8th woman in the world to accomplish this. Vanessa has also successfully completed the Boston Marathon running 26.2 miles in 2017.